The Rabbit Eater
by pantedgieQueen13
Summary: Rated T for blood and descriptions briefly in the first chapter. When Cream sees Sonic kill and eat a rabbit, will she ever trust him again? And how far will Sonic go to regain that trust? Part 1 in the Cream Chronicles.
1. Division 1

**Division 1**

Sonic moaned and picked up his head. It was late in the afternoon, and he ached all over from being Eggman's literal slave for over a week. It wasn't much, for he had starved and survived far longer times, but it still hurt. He wasn't hungry so much as he was weak and beaten. He could barely crawl without his muscles trembling under what little weight he had! Time, and Eggman, had not been kind to him.

A rustling came in the bushes. Sonic ceased to be any sort of civilized being and became the hunter he rightfully was by birth. He closed his eyes and listened.

The rustling came closer, closer. Sonic knew to move would be fatal, because it would scare off his only source of food. He opened his eyes.

A young, brown rabbit sat before him on its haunches, cleaning its face with its delicate front paws. Sonic the Hedgehog had a great respect for rabbits. Often, he would romp and play with them, and race them, just to see if they could beat him when he knew they couldn't really. He would make friends with the mothers in the spring, and stroke the babies with his forefinger in their burrows.

Sonic the predator had but one thought: lunch. His mind raced as he moved infinitesimally, trying to get his arm out so he would be prepared to clamp it down on the rabbit's back. The rabbit would not be able to retaliate or run, and then the other hand could snap its neck. The rabbit twitched its nose and straightened its ears. Many rabbits knew his scent, and were not afraid. This one did not know his scent and was afraid, but would not live to pass this fear to its children. Somewhere, Sonic the Hedgehog hoped this one was not a mother, and a wave of pity washed over him. But, when his stomach growled softly and his mouth watered for fresh meat…well…all was lost from then on.

His hand lashed out. The rabbit tried to run away, but even weak, Sonic was faster. His hand pressed onto the rabbit's spine. Now rabbits cry like babies, and this one did so now. Sonic did not want to draw attention to himself. With his other hand, he grabbed the rabbit's neck and snapped it. The rabbit struggled uselessly and was still. Sonic hungrily beheaded the dead rabbit and sucked through the creamy, tasty blood to get to the meat within. He devoured the heart and some of the innards before he felt his strength returning. The meat revived him, his muscles becoming stronger than ever, just a small serving of meat doing what five hundred servings of vegetables did.

Sonic the predator's use was gone, and Sonic the Hedgehog came back. Sonic licked the blood from his lips and sat up, satisfied. However, his eyes met with an unkind sight.

Cream the Rabbit stood before him. Her eyes were scared and filled with tears, and she trembled as she looked at him. Without her speaking, he knew that she had seen if not all of his actions, enough of them. And he cursed fate for giving him a rabbit to eat.

Mind you, his face was calm, his eyes bright. He was Sonic, only he still had blood at the tips of his lips, and his white teeth were tinted pink. Everything else was Sonic, but Cream still feared what she had seen, that was definitely not the Sonic she knew.

The hedgehog apologetically reached a hand out. "Cream--" but it was too late for that. Cream cried out and took off into the forest, making her way back much the way she had came. Sonic, forgetting his weakness, stood instantly and ran after her, smelling after her because he didn't know where she went. And, because of the weakness still present in his body, she was faster by two or three steps, but he couldn't see her.

As she weaved her way through the city streets, people wondered who or what she was running from. Sonic had no care for the others, for the crowds she was trying to use to cover her scent (she was smart, she was a prey animal by birth, and she knew what would throw a predator off), but Sonic knew her too well, and now saw where she was headed. "Cream!" He called after her, his voice an injured whimper. "Cream! Please!"

But Cream, if she heard him, refused to stop. She ran and ran, sobbing, her heart beating ever faster in her chest. She was frightened, scared, knew he was gaining on her. Millions of good times, pleasant memories with Sonic were torn to pieces and burned before her eyes as she saw the one image that erased everything good she knew about him.

Sonic devouring something that was, more or less, her kin. The blood on his lips, the violence and hunger in his eyes. She could not imagine being held by such a monster. And now, she had little refuge.

Tails was a fox, and they, too ate rabbits. He was out of the question. Knuckles was away on Angel Island. No hope of running to him, the only one who could willingly fight Sonic, wound him, beat him. (She was wrong, of course. _She_ had the power to wound him, better than physically. She was doing it now, running an arrow through his heart, but she could not think of such things now). Eggman…no. Even she was not so cruel. And she would not stand to be rescued by a monster _from_ a monster. Sonic may have frightened her, but Eggman was her worst fear. And Amy, dear Amy, she was a hedgehog, too. Capable of what Sonic did.

All these facts were closing in on her, and this made her fear heighten and she cried out, dashing into her house and swiftly closing and locking the door behind her. She knew Sonic was on her heels. It was only a matter of time…her mother's voice was a faraway whisper in her ears, a question she could not answer or understand about why she had done this. When she smelled Sonic, she ran into her room and closed the door.

Sonic pounded on the front door. "Vanilla? Cream? It's Sonic." He paused, hearing footsteps. There was no trace of him ever having killed a rabbit on him now, besides his strength. The strength that came from the iron and vitamins in fresh meat (in any meat, really). Vanilla opened the door and admitted him quietly.

"What's happened, Sonic?" She asked gently, leading him without invite to the kitchen.

Sonic's mind hitched, like a car going over a speedbump too fast. "I—I—Cream, she saw me…but I never meant her to!" He defended weakly. His ears were pressed backwards against his head, and he ran a hand through his quills and sighed deeply.

Vanilla rested an understanding hand on his shoulder. "She saw you do what?" She pressed in that out-of-the-way manner mothers always get information out of children. It wasn't pushy, it was patient. And patience is something impossible for children to read.

Sonic told the story, but the whole time, his manner made it into something serious, like a confession of murder. His eyes remained dead and downcast, his fur seemed to darken to the gray of a rainy day, his hands were nervous and fidgety. He told her everything, accenting the parts that Cream had not heard. He didn't think Vanilla would fear him, but he didn't want to take the chance that she might.

Vanilla listened calmly to him, nodding when it was appropriate and making very little noise, even as she worked while he told her. She did not fear him, for she had known him to be a good heart long enough (rabbits judge the ones they know by "heart". And, Sonic had a big heart, in both meanings of the word) and she trusted him completely. Also, she was an old rabbit, old, even, beyond her years. And she knew, like many wild rabbit mothers did, that Sonic would not harm her baby. When he had finished and his eyes scrutinized the floor and his nose sparkled with tears, she rewarded him with a toasted ham and cheese sandwich.

He took it from her and ate it slowly, his shy eyes reading her face and waiting for a reaction. Cream's actions had really stabbed him repeatedly in the heart, and now that she was not near him, he was feeling more and more injured. He felt that he was bleeding, but he couldn't see the blood. His heart ached and burned, like there was a sword in the center, and Sonic wished for a cut or a burn he could see with his own eyes, to prove to himself that Cream was not the cause of this hurt, wishing that she would come and hug him and sit with him and pull his fur and laugh at his jokes and be near him. Even if she were to pull his tail, as she did when she was angry, at least he would know things could be made up. Vanilla's face was unreadable, which scared him, but loving, which assured him. He relaxed, but he was tense still. The taste of ham was making him sick, and he set aside the sandwich.

"You've hardly touched it." Vanilla looked briefly at the sandwich, then back at him. "Is the cheese bad?"

"No." Sonic bit his lip because it was trembling. His chest heaved and settled, and Vanilla knew that he had swallowed down a sob.

"Are you staying? We'd love to have you. Cream missed you, was worried." She turned to the sink, busying herself with something Sonic could not see, and looked towards him again.

"No." Sonic said again, his voice trembling. His eyes swelled with an amount of tears he didn't know he had.

"She isn't really hateful of you, you know. She just doesn't know how to react yet. She's still a baby." Vanilla rung her hands through her apron a moment, and then wrapped her arms around the teenage hedgehog. Sonic allowed himself to cry into her shoulder, and Vanilla stroked him. "There, there." She soothed. "It's all right. It's all right. Don't worry, everything's fine." She continued to soothe him until he didn't need it, and then she smiled at him.

He was looking into the hallway, down at one of the doors. The door that was Cream's room. It had been open a crack, but the crack disappeared with a soft thud when his eyes searched for the young girl within. "I think I'll go home." He said plainly and without emotion. "I can't stay here." He closed his eyes and was gone.

Vanilla dabbed the tears off her shoulder and threw the sandwich away. Sonic wouldn't come back as he was now. He would come back a different person.


	2. Division 2

**Division 2**

"All right then, Sonic." Tails, playing doctor, sat across from Sonic. "You're here. What's wrong?"

"My stomach hurts." Sonic answered calmly.

"That's it?" Tails wondered, observing Sonic's thin figure, limp quills, bruised knees and elbows, and his discolored fur, which worried Tails the most. "You're a wreck, Sonic."

"I _feel _like a wreck, honestly." Sonic replied, chuckling weakly. "Can you help me?"

Tails sighed deeply. "You say your stomach hurts?"

"That's right. It bothers me night and day. I don't sleep well."

"How long?"

"How long what?" Sonic almost knew what was coming, but he remained cautious, hopeful that Tails wouldn't say…

"How long has it been since you've had meat? Any at all?" Tails glared at his brother. "You knew very well what I was going to ask, didn't you?"

"Yes." Sonic avoided the other question, and now all eye contact. He studied his shoe, which was probably bluer than he way right now.

"How long have you gone without meat?" Tails demanded. "I can't treat you unless I know."

"I dunno. Three weeks, maybe. I can't keep track. I don't remember what it tastes like."

"Liar."

"Three weeks, Tails."

The fox laughed. It was a frustrated laugh. His voice was almost sarcastic, and faintly concerned. "You're falling apart too easily, then. I don't know why, I think I'm more predatory than you. You, at least, are an omnivore by birth."

Sonic pretended not to listen, but he heard every painful word. His stomach was poked by something invisible and sharp, and Sonic let out a pained cry. Tails jumped, and then examined Sonic. "Why did you do it, Sonic?"

"Why not?" Sonic smiled weakly.

"_Answer me_." Tails hissed bitterly, his eyes becoming sky blue slits.

Sonic yipped in surprise and bit his lip, his eyes sailing around the room, not willing to land on Tails again. "Why are you mad? Why shouldn't I be able to do this?"

"Answer me." Tails' voice was softer, but it was in no way less dangerous. His eyes narrowed further, until they were almost closed.

Sonic swallowed thickly. "I don't feel well." He stood, determined. "I'm going home." He walked two steps, bent over with a groan of pain, and fell to the ground. The bruises on his knees grew blacker.

"You won't be able to leave. You're much too weak. Why are you such a fool, to not even see it in yourself?" Tails went to him, helped him up, placed him on a cot nearby, and ran his fingers through Sonic's prickly, unhealthy, sickly blue fur.

"I did it for Cream." Sonic forced himself to speak before he wailed in pain and curled up, pressing his knees against his stomach. It felt like it was a burning fire, and the more he fed plants to it, the thicker and more lively it became. The more it hurt him. And no amount of water, soda, or any beverage could put it out.

"Why? She loves you."

"She saw me--" Sonic winced, scrunching his eyes closed against the pain. "—eat a rabbit. Owww." He uncurled slowly and closed his eyes, breathing hard.

"I can't give you much. The pain is so severe…I'll have to drug you up on morphine." Tails walked to the sink and tapped a clean syringe with one finger.

"Anything, but _please _make the pain go away." Sonic moaned, clutching at his stomach. He was not unfed. In fact, he had to eat more vegetables than ever to make up for the complete lack of meat in his diet. He even refused to eat fish! His stomach was full, surely, but his body could not deal with the fuel. He was sick, maybe dying.

"I'm giving you iron supplements, too. And protein supplements." Tails soothed, crushing mushy pink pills over a glass of water before handing it to Sonic. "A few weeks of these will restore most of your strength. Try not to throw up."

Sonic drank the water down. "The morphine?"

"It's coming." Tails promised. "I have to measure the prescription before I give you the shot."

"Shot?" Sonic quizzed weakly, sleepily. The pills didn't taste like meat, but they felt like meat in his stomach. The pain made him hungry.

"You'll be able to take it in pills after the initial shot." Tails replied calmly. "You shouldn't feel it. Morphine is the strongest pain medication I know of."

Sonic yawned. "Okay."

"Give into sleep. I put a small dose of sedative in your iron and protein prescription. Take them before bed, and they will help you sleep. Remember to take the morphine pill in the morning. Just one, no matter how much you hurt. Okay?" Tails slowly put the syringe into Sonic's arm.

Sonic kept everything Tails had said in mind as he drifted off to sleep.


	3. Division 3

**Division 3**

"He _what_?! Why?!" Amy half-screamed, half cried into the phone.

Vanilla politely held it away from her ear. "I don't know much, Amy dear. Tails only told me to keep a set of pills here…" She turned, seeing Cream by the doorway playing with a large stuffed die and a toy cat. She smiled as she spoke. "It was some sort of love, I think."

"Love? Well." Amy sighed. "It's nice to see he cares. How is little Cream, by the way?"

"Fine. Shocked by Sonic's actions, but fine."

"She'd better be." Anger rose in Amy's voice. "Because I saw him fighting Eggman today and let me tell you, that does _not_ look like 'fine' to me!"

Vanilla turned when she felt Cream holding her skirts. "Sonic's here. I've got to go."

"Okay. I'll call you back later?" Amy seemed worried, because she couldn't make a housecall. It was too painful to have her little sister run away from her touch.

"That's fine. Goodbye." Vanilla hung up and went to get the door. Cream followed, hiding behind her mother's skirts. "Hello, Sonic." She pleasantly smiled and let him in. Cream hid her face.

Sonic looked at the young rabbit wearily. His eyes were heavy and too calm from the morphine, and his body was thin and sick. He had eaten so many vegetables that the sickly blue in his fur almost looked green. He reached up into the cabinet and took a small dose of iron. His eyes looked a deep, forest green.

Vanilla walked over to him, ignoring Cream's tugging in an attempt to keep her mother back. "So, dear, any news?"

"Eggman's beaten again." Sonic swallowed the iron down and put the bottle away. "I need an aspirin or something. Eggman…he really hurt me for once." Sonic rubbed at his side, where a huge, claw-shaped bruise was taking form beneath his thin, sick fur. "I'm going to Tails' for a prescription." He glanced at Cream out of the corner of his filmy, dark eyes. It was easy to tell he was doing hard drugs. His eyes held little life. Everything about him seemed artificial. This almost made Cream more afraid of him.

"I think if he gave you any more drugs, we'd lose you." Vanilla soothed.

"Nope, it's the other way round." Sonic sniffled, rubbing at his arm, his eyes downcast. "It's these drugs that are keeping me _with _you, not _from _you. If I wasn't on iron and protein supplements, I'd be dead. If I wasn't on morphine…" He paused, trailing off. "I don't feel at all well." He admitted.

Cream stepped away from her mother's side and looked at Sonic. He didn't look scary now. He just looked sick and scared and weak. This caused her to address him for the first time in months. "Ssonic?" She tested the name on her tongue first, muffling it into her fist. Then, she bravely lifted her head. "Sonic?"

The voice called Sonic back from the grave. He lifted his head and looked at her. Some of his old brightness came back, and he smiled, opening his arms for her. Cream barreled into them and buried her face into his knees, sobbing.

"Oh, Sonic!" She cried remorsefully. "How could I have let something so meaningless scare me?! You've been there, _always_, for me and mother! You've saved me _so many_ times! I don't understand! I can't understand!" He lifted her gently into his arms and she looked at him, and realized that he was crying, too. She tenderly wiped a tear from his cheek and smiled shakily. He smiled back. "I'm not afraid, Sonic." She finished. "I'm sorry I was ever afraid of you. Sorry with all my heart."

Sonic sniffled and hugged her tight against him. "Thank you. That's all I needed." He whispered, rocking her as she cried into his shoulder. "That's all I ever wanted."


	4. Division 4

**Division 4**

"Ahh, this is going to taste _so_ good, I can tell." Sonic removed himself from the meaningless game he and Cream had been playing, pressing himself against the wall and closing his eyes with a groan. "I'm _sooo_, uh…" he paused. It was rare he ever used the word 'starving' in front of his rabbit friends, and he was afraid Cream would run from him again. All he needed was another month or so of this sickening weakness.

"…starving?" Cream giggled, poking a finger at his stomach as it growled.

The hedgehog chuckled, wrestling Cream into his lap with angelic ease and care, his grasp soft as a cloud but firm and commanding as a cat's hold on a toy. "Mmmhmm! Something you were afraid of for a _looooonggg_ time!" Cream flushed with embarrassment and swatted at him, he moving away from her ladylike slap. Hey, he would take a hand over a hammer any day! "Hey, it's cool. I forgive you!" He laughed as she tackled him to the floor.

"You shouldn't forgive her so easily, you know." Vanilla's muted laughter filled the kitchen as she watched the two laughing and tumbling in her peripheral vision. "Cream, go easy on him, dear! He bruises a lot easier now!"

"Aww, let her play!" Sonic dismissed, submissive as she sat on him, he belly-down. "Besides, I'll heal as soon as I have a proper meal…ow! Easy on my kidneys there, little one! Where did to learn to cook—ow—like that, Vanilla?" He wriggled his way out from underneath the child rabbit and righted himself. But he barely had time to take a breath before Cream had glomped him, pinning him to the floor again, her giggles much more audible than before.

"It comes with time and experience." Vanilla explained. "Who do you think taught Amy?"

"I did." Sonic bragged, squealing as Cream rolled him over onto his back. "I missed you too, but you don't need to _torture_ me!" (This being directed at Cream).

The older rabbit sighed. "I'm just glad you won't have to take any more pills. It makes me nervous having your medicine in the house."

"Yeah, I'm not usually taking medicine of any kind, huh?" Sonic had managed to hold Cream's onslaught off with his hands and he became mournful as he thought on this.

"Well," Vanilla interjected, "with any luck, you'll never have to do this again."

"He won't. Not _ever_." Cream promised, giving a short nod of conviction. Sonic lifted her up into his arms and walked her to the kitchen.

"You know, you've gained weight, Cream." Sonic teased. "I can barely hold you."

Cream lay against his shoulder, and if one had not known she'd been afraid of him before, you would think they were the best of friends. And they were, in some aspects. "Aww, that's cause you're all weak and mushy, Sonic."

"Mushy?" Sonic laughed at her description. "Like an old pear?" He looked lovingly down at her, instincts completely dead.

"Nah, more like ice cream, cause you're still sweet." Cream affirmed, meeting his gaze.

Sonic smiled sentimentally and hugged her close. "I really missed ya, Cream."

The rabbit's skinny arms wrapped around his neck as she hugged him back. "I missed you, too, Sonic. A whole lot." Then, he pulled away and sat up in his arms. "Mother? Can Sonic stay the night? _Please_?" She begged.

Vanilla glanced at Sonic, reading his reaction. Sonic didn't seem to mind, but he looked so weak and tired…the worst thing you could do to Sonic was tie him down. "That's completely up to him. I don't mind if he--" but Cream interrupted her.

"Yay!" She bounced in his arms. "Yayay_ay_! Sonic can stay! Sonic can stay!"

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Your mother said it was up to _me_." He reminded sternly. But Cream's responding pout appeared too much for him, and he huffed before speaking again. "Okay, okay, I'll stay! It's not like I have to—oof!" He gagged as Cream strangled him. "To stay the night, I need to _survive_, here."

Cream nuzzled her white cheek against his face, relaxing her grip a little. The spot where she nuzzled was quickly becoming warm, not just from friction but from love. Sonic nuzzled her back, his body so warm that it made his muscles tremble. "Thank you." Cream whispered. Then, she pulled back. "Ew!" She scrunched up her face in disgust.

"What?" Sonic asked in alarm, being woken up by her reaction.

"You smell funny!" Cream declared, to which Vanilla's eyes widened and Sonic guffawed.

"Cream! How rude!" Vanilla scolded in a stern tone. "Apologize to him right—Sonic?" She observed the hedgehog as he leaned into the counter to keep himself upright as he laughed.

"AHHAHAHAHA, I, oh!" Sonic gasped, trying to catch his breath, giggles still lingering in his throat. "It's okay, Vanilla," He sighed, finally getting his fit of giggles under control. "I know I smell funny. Hopefully, that will be remedied once I eat meat again."

"Yeah! Yeah!" Cream chimed in, still comfortable in his warm arms. "And your fur will be a pretty blue again!"

Sonic laughed, but the reminder his fur was not blue made him sorrowful a moment. He kissed the tip of Cream's black nose and held her close, his chin on her shoulder so that she would not see him crying. But Vanilla saw it all too clearly.

The older rabbit crossed the room and placed a hand on his shoulder. "There, there, dear." She whispered. "It'll all work out. Patience."

Sonic picked up his head from Cream's shoulder. However, Cream had gone to sleep. The hedgehog kissed the top of Cream's head and held her warmth close against his body, watching the hot dogs Vanilla was making jump as they boiled on the stove.


	5. Division 5

**Division 5**

"So, Cream," Sonic chuckled as he followed her to her bedroom where he would most likely spend the night. "Do I look any better? Or what?"

Cream giggled, turning to look at him. "Yeah! Sonic, you look _soooo_ much better! Really!" Her excited tone made him smile. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, and then Cream imperiously took charge of Sonic's hand and pulled him along.

"Whoa!" Sonic laughed, stumbling into this new position (bent over a bit, because of the height difference) and following behind her. "Easy, easy! You'll pull my arm right out!"

Cream pulled him into her room, shut the door behind her with her foot, and swung Sonic around to toss his body onto her bed with the force. Sonic, having given into her force, tumbled into the bed, which was resting on the ground, and collapsed amongst stuffed dolls she had there. "Hey!" He accused with a smile, poking his head out from amongst a cat toy and a blue blob of a thing as Cream set out her nightgown on the windowsill and began to change. "What was _that_ for?!"

Cream didn't need to fear him seeing her naked. He wasn't attracted to her in that way, and besides, he had seen her bare body enough times not to mind it. "Everything." She teased, chin on her shoulder (as her back was to him) as she slipped her white nightgown over her body.

"Uh huh." Sonic, tone and appearance unimpressed, rolled over onto his stomach, being careful to move the stuffed dolls out of the way. The aforementioned organ was now nice and full, and this time, the fuel was proper. It felt right, and very soft and warm, nothing at all like the brushfire he was used to. One serving of his delicious favorite food sitting in his tummy did what weeks of morphine had done. It had completely taken away the pain.

Sonic was ready for bed, but he was waiting patiently for Cream to be ready, too. Although it was not easy, Sonic could stay up late even with a full stomach. His position as a Freedom Fighter required this at times.

Cream was brushing her ears and fur at her small vanity and Sonic was arranging her dolls out of boredom. Interested, he lifted one up. "Hey!" He exclaimed. "This one looks like Chaos!" The doll's pale blue coloring and green marble-akin eyes did indeed resemble Chaos Zero, the friendly monster that lived within the Master Emerald. Or…mostly friendly, at least.

"Yeah!" Cream answered, not turning towards him, her gaze fixed on the mirror. "Mother made that one for me, and several others there. Amy made a few for me also."

Sonic nodded. Cream and Amy were both avid souvenir collectors. Amy preferred jewelry, but it made sense Cream preferred something huggable. Sonic lifted a floppy doll with shiny black eyes, a pale complexion, and familiar brown locks teased into a spiky hairdo. Sonic couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth when he thought of the friend that had bravely pulled him from the harsh waters of a pool. "Chris." He sighed.

"Yeah. Amy made that one for me." Cream removed her little gloves, showing her peach-colored fingers, as delicate as a little girl's should be.

Sonic looked at some more of the dolls, and found two more familiar friends. "Here's Cosmo and Emerl." He said with an air of mourning. Both had expired, in one way or another. He couldn't help but be saddened by this. After all, both had been great friends of Cream's. There was even a plush of the tiny Chao Cheese, who had opted to live with his brethren some time ago, and passed away on Angel Island. Sonic set these aside as Cream turned and walked towards him, jumping up onto the bed with another brush now firmly clasped between her fingers.

Sonic's sneakers had been removed at some point, perhaps by Cream. However, she was the only one who could touch and remove his shoes without any apprehension from their owner. The sensation itself was unexplainable. Sonic had never really felt threatened by Cream in any way. That was why Cream was allowed to do what she did now.

Cream calmly rested beside him and Sonic relaxed fully. The little girl then began to brush Sonic's fur. She moved the brush soothingly down his spine, and it felt so good that Sonic began to purr. He hadn't had his fur brushed in a while by anyone (save himself), and the soft bristles of the brush felt nice. Cream giggled, and tickled at his side when she had finished. Obediently, the older hedgehog rolled over onto his back, willingly exposing his underside. Cream then began to brush this, humming to herself.

The little bedroom became quiet, besides Sonic's deafening purr and Cream's gentle humming. Sonic would twitch and move when the bristles of the brush touched a particularly ticklish spot, but these seemed to subside the more he began to sense the complete lack of danger, and the more he began to give in to the warm comforts of a filled belly. In all truth, he had not felt so content in too long a time.

"You smell nicer now, Sonic." Cream mused presently, switching from one hand to the other.

Sonic moved under the brush just slightly, as Cream began to comb his tummy and back up towards his shoulders. "Hmm? That's good. I don't like how I smell when I do that."

"Neither do I." cream scrunched up her face in remembrance. "You smell like squished slug."

Sonic guffawed at this, trying to contain his laughter at first before letting the happiness explode out of him. "Why a slug?" He wondered, gasping after the fit was brought to an end by her continuation of the brushing. She tickled his sides again, and he moved to flip over like a pancake again. "Aww, you gotta stop that. I'm all sleepy…"

Cream giggled. "Are you really that tired, Sonic?" She became a bit more serious, withdrawing the brush to make him listen.

Sonic seemed to ponder this, chin on his folded hands, before he sat up, curving his back, and turned to look at her. "It's been a long time, dear. I haven't been lulled by my tummy these past few--"

She interrupted him, rolling up her nightgown sleeves. "What's 'lull'?"

Sonic chuckled and gathered her into his lap, her white nightgown flowing over his legs as she shifted to get comfortable against him. Here, she felt really, truly safe. Nothing could harm her while the strong tan arms encased her, no worry crossed her mind. Sonic was simply that much of a perfect guardian. "Well, in this case, it means I'm falling asleep!" He told her softly.

"Maybe we should go to sleep, then." Cream muttered reluctantly, in a pout.

"What do you want to do?" Sonic asked her with a smile.

"You said you were falling asleep!" She accused, pinning him to the bed with a whine of childish anger. "Make up your mind!"

Sonic, wrists pinned on either side of his head by her fingers, and on his back, belly up, truly looking like a prisoner of some sort, chuckled, trying to nip at her, without meaning for his teeth to make contact. He snapped his pearly whites slyly, adopting a confident, knowing look. "Eh. A little run will wake me, if you would let me up, that is."

Cream sat up, releasing him, her body resting over his stomach as he used his elbows to pick himself up halfway. "Is mother asleep?"

Sonic shrugged. "I don't know."

"Go check?" Cream asked innocently.

Sonic lifted her off of him, setting her amongst the toys. With a half-smile, he leaned on the doorframe. "Back in a flash!"

Cream waited, playing with her Emerl doll like a marionette. Of course, she didn't have long to wait.

With renewed vigor fueling his body, Sonic seemed twice as fast. He returned within seconds. "Vanilla's asleep." As if knowing what she was going to ask, he lifted her up into his arms, balancing her safely within. "Is this one coming along?" He indicated brightly to the Emerl doll.

Cream nodded. "Emel wants to see them, too."

Sonic chuckled, kissing her tenderly on the cheek. "Right then! Off we go!" He nodded shortly with conviction before taking off into the wind, Cream's giggles lost within the ghostly third realm of Sonic's masterful speed.

_And every road here looks the same._

_This old town won't ever change._

_That's what I love the most._

"Are we there yet?" Cream asked, her ears tickling against the area below his shoulder as she was nuzzled against him, in an area that protected her from the whiplash of Sonic speed.

"Since when did you get so impatient?!" He joked, poking her side with a finger.

"**Hey**!" She accused as he laughed. "That's _not_ funny."

"It totally is, but you can argue with me, if ya want."

Cream stuck her tongue out, and ended up with a mouthful of fur. She spit it out hastily, biting her fingers to get rid of the taste.

"Anyway," Sonic continued, making sure he still had a firm hold on Cream. Running made him lose contact with the world, especially when he was pretty damn exhausted (considering all he'd been through, that seemed an accurate word), and the last thing he wanted to do was drop her. "No, we're not there yet. Soon, though."

Cream hugged the Emerl doll to her chest, trying her best not to fall asleep.

In a fairly short amount of time, Sonic had found what he was looking for and he gradually slowed to a halt. "Here we are, Cream!" He announced proudly. "Moonflower Field!"

The area was accurately named. Under the light of the moon, the pretty silver-white flowers with seemingly enchanted stems danced like fairies in the wind, giving the appearance of being true, sentient beings. Some of the flowers around his feet seemed to touch him with their fuzzy leaves, begging him to sit around them and relax for a while. The place was amazingly enchanting, something one could only dream of, in truth.

A sleepy sigh came from against his chest, and Sonic realized he had not heard a peep from the rabbit. "Cream?" He wondered in semi-alarm. Usually, she could not hold back her excitement when he brought her here.

But, Cream was fast asleep, curled up against him. The Emerl doll was squished in her grasp, the head peeking out by her chin. Sonic smiled sentimentally, glad that she felt safe enough with him to fall asleep against him, kissed the top of her head with an angelic tenderness, and started the long trek back to her house, hoping to get some shuteye in as well before the morning sun painted the treetops yellow-orange with its warm, beckoning glow.

_Lyrics: Small Town Jerico by Sugarland_


	6. Division 6 LAST!

**Division 6**

_Last division! Then it's over! ^-^_

Sonic entered the quiet house with the ease of a draft slipping under the doorway and walked the short distance to Cream's room. Somewhere far off, an owl hooted, and some nighttime creature on four legs disturbed the leaf-abundant branches of an old oak tree.

Sonic sat upon the low bed and balanced Cream on one side of him, so he was free to move his arm on the other. With this action done, he began to move the dolls to the foot of the bed, turned back the covers, and gently deposited Cream within them. He didn't notice in the darkness that Cream was holding onto his fur, and only when he tried to rise and heard himself give a pained yip did he truly realize it.

Smiling to himself (though it had smarted), Sonic gently pried her fingers loose from his fur. As the moonlight played across the bed, Sonic noted that some pale strands of silky soft peach fur were still tightly clamped in her fist. Tears of joy and love came to his eyes, and he bent over her, hugging her sleeping body towards him, feeling her breathe calmly. He didn't quite understand what she made him feel, or why he had gone to such drastic measures to please her, but he knew that he felt protective of her. That he would care for her until the end of time, until he could no longer rise and walk around.

Until the day he died.

Sonic stopped thinking about that, because he realized that tears were coming and sobs were shaking his chest. No one, especially him, liked to think about death. He let her go and sat up on the bed, his green eyes slicing through the darkness like a knife through soft butter. As he moved to get up, Cream twisted in sleep. "Mmmph, Sonic," she murmured sleepily, almost losing her grip on Emerl doll. Sonic let his full weight rest on the bed again, and she calmed almost instantly.

Not very tired all of a sudden, Sonic slipped her his hand. She cuddled it serenely, cooing against his palm. Sonic felt a warmth rising in his chest at her innocent beauty, and bent down to kiss her. "My dear, sweet rabbit," he whispered, "I'm quite famished. You need to let me up, or I'll pass out beside you."

Cream seemed to like that idea. She tugged at his wrist harder. Sonic was starting to get quite the headache. His high metabolism demanded that he eat, and he _was_ starting to feel hints of hunger.

But…could all that wait? Could he seriously put all of that off and lay beside her? He knew he could not hurt her, even if he tried very hard to, but…there was always doubt. He freed his hand from her grasp, only to have her whine in half-asleep protest, reaching out for him again. One eye sleepily opened. "Sonic…?"

Sonic fetched the Emerl doll, which had fallen to the floor in the struggle, and produced it. "I'll be back," he whispered. "I promise."

Cream, happy with that, it seemed, lay back down and sighed. She was still mostly asleep. Sonic left her, then, and went to fix himself a snack.

The house was quiet. Sonic moved stealthily through the kitchen like a mouse, opening cabinets, brushing against noisy pots and pans, and breezing through the refrigerator, all without making any more sound than a swift clank, chink, thud, or otherwise singsong little noise one might only recognize as a note in a techno song.

Thus Sonic moved, until he had gathered for himself a warm snack. Hot ham and cheese. Ironically, the same treat he had turned down all that sweet long time ago. He ate it thoughtfully, slowly, relishing the taste on his tongue. It had made him feel ill before, but now the taste was glorious in its simplicity. The moon was shining brightly, the curtains on the window stirring with the draft. The hum of the appliances was enough to make one wonder if an object of Halloween tomfoolery might pop out of a crevice, tap against the window, form out of water vapor in the air, or open one of the cabinets.

Sonic did not think of this, though, as he ate. It would take a while before all the morphine was fully out of his system, so he would be quite laid back…but when had that lazy attitude of his ever _not_ been obvious? He had seen that life returned to his eyes as soon as meat touched his stomach, and his fur's color was magically restored. Perhaps _that_ aspect was due to Cream's marvelous care of his fur, however. At any rate. Sonic didn't think the others would be able to tell he'd been doing hard drugs.

He felt at his chest, where Eggman had injured him, but the bruise had become a faint blackish-blue mark invisible beneath the thickness of his fur. Tender it was, yes. More than it had been in quite a long time. However, this wasn't too much of a problem. Now that he had proper fuel again, he could become more conscientious of the fight (true, for he had no idea how the injury had appeared. He didn't even remember Eggman's robot had claws!), and therefore watch his back better, keeping the hurt of the battle away from his sensitive areas.

Sonic realized he'd finished the ham sandwich. Gloves now off, they having been removed at some point Sonic didn't fully recollect (he thought Cream had removed them before dinner, in an attempt to start a game of keep-away, or the like, which was fairly accurate), he licked his peach-furred fingertips and smacked his lips, patting his tummy. He felt much better now, his headache and the chills causing his body to tremble fully erased.

He was finally ready to crawl in beside Cream, and crash for the night. All said and done, Sonic was really, truly, tired.

He navigated his way back through the dark house, much the way he had come minutes before, to Cream's bedroom.

Stealthy like a black cat, he climbed in beside her. She jumped, sleepily startled awake. "Sonic?!"

"Shh," Sonic cautioned, chuckling in his throat. "No, I'm Mickey Mouse." And he presently imitated the character's laugh.

Cream thrust her hand over his lips, and marveled how they tickled at her palm before he was forced to stop. His green eyes shone in the darkness. "Darn, too bad." She teased, giggling. "Because now, I can't do this." With her Emerl doll still clasped firmly in one hand (this one seemed to be the oldest, or at the very least, the most played with), she snuggled close against his radiator heat-akin chest and laid her ears over his heart. "Ahh, that's nice." She mused sleepily. "Not too slow and not too fast."

Sonic rolled his eyes at his own mind immaturely thinking that was suggestive and hugged her to his chest one more, chin resting calmly over her head.

Somewhere far off, a nightingale began to sing her pleasant song, and the beat was the same as the two siblings' collective breathing.


End file.
